1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paint formulation which is effective in attenuating laser energy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past laser beams have been used to cure paint coatings, among the many other uses for laser beams. In particular it has been found that the infrared radiation from a laser is effective in promoting the curing of paint coatings.
Attempts have been made in the past to attenuate laser energy in safety related applications. These applications have used solid plastic sheets of material impregnated with a laser absorption dye. However, solid plastic material has not proved to be satisfactory in many laser attenuation applications. The problems involved with the use of solid laser attenuation materials have included the inability of the solid material to adhere to surfaces other than flat surfaces, difficulties in application to large areas, and the fact that attenuation is only provided in large quantum steps. An example is an optical density of 16 or 160 db of attenuation. A need therefore continues to exist for a laser attentuation technique which overcomes the above described difficulties.